Rome

Hamlet Nalbandyan GLENDORA -- It was a sight one wouldn't expect after a week- three victory, but considering the circumstances, it was understandable. The Glendale Community College football team used a punishing rushing attack and a stable defense to beat Citrus College on the road, 30-25, Saturday. Afterward, they celebrated on the Owl field, and they made sure the Owls saw it. The celebration had somewhat to do with it being GCC's first victory of the season in an important Western State Conference Mountain Division game.

NORTHEAST GLENDALE — It’s been 10 months and a little over a week since last season ended, but when the Glendale Community College football team kicks off its 2009 season at home against West Los Angeles College on Saturday, it will be 11 months to the day since the Vaqueros last won a game. For the entire team, but particularly the 20 returning sophomores second-year Coach John Rome welcomes back, much of the focus during the buildup to the new season has centered around improving on the previous one, in which the team showed early promise, but splintered under the weight of a rash of injuries and a five-game losing streak to play out the schedule.

PREDICTABLE AND NOT THAT FUNNY Megan Kelly, 15, is a ninth-grader at Crescenta Valley High School. I found this movie to be a real bore. I thought the plot was predictable, and I disliked the pop star angle, because it wasn't believable. I found it hard to believe Lizzie could learn an entire dance routine in high heels in a couple of hours, when she couldn't even walk across the platform at her graduation without tripping. I also was disappointed that Miranda, Lizzie's best friend, wasn't in the movie.

NORTHEAST GLENDALE - The emotions of a trying, difficult and all-around tough season were apparent on Glendale Community College Coach John Rome's face. Minutes after the Vaqueros suffered a 47-41 loss to Santa Monica College on Saturday in a Pacific Conference American Division game at Sartoris Field, Rome was in tears when he talked about the determination of his team. “These are my sons,” Rome said. “I believe that. I'm proud of these guys every day. They've never quit.

Any thought of a conference championship or playoff appearance ended weeks ago for the Glendale Community College football team, which lost its first seven games of the season. One would hardly know that by the way the Vaqueros have continued to grind away over the past several weeks, a span that has seen the team collect its first win, 38-17, on Oct. 22 at Santa Barbara before giving Pacific Conference American Division frontrunner Santa Monica all it could handle in a 47-41 shootout loss at home on Saturday.

With the Glendale Community College football's offense still trying to find its way, there's been a lot of pressure put on the Vaqueros defense early in the 2012 season. Glendale's defensive unit rose to the occasion and inspired hope for GCC's 2012 campaign when the Vaqueros defeated El Camino-Compton College on the road, 27-10, Sept. 1 as they forced three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble) in the victory. Defensively, Glendale college was overworked last Saturday. The Vaqueros netted just three first downs and 54 yards on offense (16 passing, 38 rushing)

The Glendale Community College football team was hoping to carry over the momentum from a season-ending victory last year - its only win of the 2010 campaign - and get off to a faster start this season. So far the Vaqueros have been stuck in neutral, though, staring at a 0-2 start going into today's 6 p.m. home opener at Sartoris Field against East Los Angeles. Glendale opened with a 49-28 loss at Pasadena City on Sept. 3, but regressed with a 34-7 road loss to Golden West on Saturday in which it was held scoreless until the 2:38 mark of the fourth quarter.

GLENDALE — With no game scheduled over the past weekend, the Glendale Community College football team is in the middle of a much-needed two week stretch to recharge, reassess and heal its wounds, both physical and psychological, from a difficult 0-6 start to the season. And, while the challenges and pitfalls have been numerous for the Vaqueros over the first six weeks of the season, sophomore quarterback Steven Batista's comments indicate the team won't be taking a defeatist attitude into the final four.

Maximus the Dogimus embarked on his Roman adventure during the summer of 2006. Packed in his doggy backpack were his city guides, liver treats, doggy water, and his blue poop scoop bags (even in Italy, Maximus knows that cleanliness is next to Roman godliness). Maximus is on a mission ? a doggy mission. He's now 5 years old and all grown into his sturdy ? albeit small ? Shih-Tzu frame. Max's mission is to stand in the centuries-old arena where gladiatorial combats were staged during the glory days of ancient Rome and where his namesake battled to victory on the silver screen.

If you want to see the best holiday pageant of the season, forget dropping $200 a pop at the Ahmanson Theatre for a touring production of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” For wit, heart, fun and generosity of spirit, go see Westminster Presbyterian Church’s “Nativity! The Musical,” a crazy hodgepodge of a pageant play that somehow manages to combine Borscht-belt one-liners, live ponies dressed like donkeys and pizza delivery boys with the classic Nativity tale.

GLENDALE - It was one of those rare topsy-turvy moments over his six-year career that Glendale Community College football Coach John Rome had a downward glance rather than an upward view and was extolling the virtue of not overlooking an opponent. As Rome's Vaqueros (2-1) prepare for their American Division Pacific Conference opener Saturday at 6 p.m. at Sartoris Field versus Antelope Valley (0-2), Glendale's coach pointed his players' view directly in front of them versus a winless squad.

With the Glendale Community College football's offense still trying to find its way, there's been a lot of pressure put on the Vaqueros defense early in the 2012 season. Glendale's defensive unit rose to the occasion and inspired hope for GCC's 2012 campaign when the Vaqueros defeated El Camino-Compton College on the road, 27-10, Sept. 1 as they forced three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble) in the victory. Defensively, Glendale college was overworked last Saturday. The Vaqueros netted just three first downs and 54 yards on offense (16 passing, 38 rushing)

Any thought of a conference championship or playoff appearance ended weeks ago for the Glendale Community College football team, which lost its first seven games of the season. One would hardly know that by the way the Vaqueros have continued to grind away over the past several weeks, a span that has seen the team collect its first win, 38-17, on Oct. 22 at Santa Barbara before giving Pacific Conference American Division frontrunner Santa Monica all it could handle in a 47-41 shootout loss at home on Saturday.

NORTHEAST GLENDALE - The emotions of a trying, difficult and all-around tough season were apparent on Glendale Community College Coach John Rome's face. Minutes after the Vaqueros suffered a 47-41 loss to Santa Monica College on Saturday in a Pacific Conference American Division game at Sartoris Field, Rome was in tears when he talked about the determination of his team. “These are my sons,” Rome said. “I believe that. I'm proud of these guys every day. They've never quit.

SOUTHEAST GLENDALE - The Glendale YMCA Quarterback Club, in its 69th year, meets Tuesdays at the Elk's Lodge. The following are odds and ends from the eighth meeting of the year. SAY GOODBYE TO WINLESS SEASON It took eight attempts, but Glendale Community College finally laid claim to its first victory. Glendale college avoided going winless Saturday with a 38-17 victory against host Santa Barbara City College in a Pacific Conference American Division contest.

The Glendale Community College football team was hoping to carry over the momentum from a season-ending victory last year - its only win of the 2010 campaign - and get off to a faster start this season. So far the Vaqueros have been stuck in neutral, though, staring at a 0-2 start going into today's 6 p.m. home opener at Sartoris Field against East Los Angeles. Glendale opened with a 49-28 loss at Pasadena City on Sept. 3, but regressed with a 34-7 road loss to Golden West on Saturday in which it was held scoreless until the 2:38 mark of the fourth quarter.

Though the season doesn't start for another two weeks, the Glendale Community College football schedule has clearly been on the mind of Vaqueros Coach John Rome. Although the Vaqueros finished 1-9 and 1-5 in the Pacific Conference's American Division last season, five of those losses were decided by a touchdown or less. This season's schedule will remain the same, though the sites will be reversed. Glendale college's longest road trip will carry it to Santa Barbara in late October.

GLENDALE — With no game scheduled over the past weekend, the Glendale Community College football team is in the middle of a much-needed two week stretch to recharge, reassess and heal its wounds, both physical and psychological, from a difficult 0-6 start to the season. And, while the challenges and pitfalls have been numerous for the Vaqueros over the first six weeks of the season, sophomore quarterback Steven Batista's comments indicate the team won't be taking a defeatist attitude into the final four.

GLENDALE — Last year, the Glendale Community College football team started out a torrid 3-0, but in the end it didn't count for much, as the Vaqueros finished 4-5. The shoe is on the other foot two games into the 2010 campaign, as the Vaqueros still seek their first win. But as shaky as the young and largely inexperienced team has looked in its two nonconference losses, third-year Coach John Rome knows it still has plenty of time...

If you want to see the best holiday pageant of the season, forget dropping $200 a pop at the Ahmanson Theatre for a touring production of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” For wit, heart, fun and generosity of spirit, go see Westminster Presbyterian Church’s “Nativity! The Musical,” a crazy hodgepodge of a pageant play that somehow manages to combine Borscht-belt one-liners, live ponies dressed like donkeys and pizza delivery boys with the classic Nativity tale.